Class-action suit under consideration against GSWC

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As the discolored drinking water saga continues with Golden State Water Co., some Gardena residents are contemplating filing a class-action lawsuit against the water agency, local officials said last week.

Residents reportedly met with attorneys to consider a law suit citing the quality of the drinking water, GSWC’s slow response to resolve water issues — including black water pouring from faucets and into toilets — and the lack of a more efficient plan to replace the water lines in the city.

As the discolored drinking water saga continues with Golden State Water Co., some Gardena residents are contemplating filing a class-action lawsuit against the water agency, local officials said last week.

Residents reportedly met with attorneys to consider a law suit citing the quality of the drinking water, GSWC’s slow response to resolve water issues — including black water pouring from faucets and into toilets — and the lack of a more efficient plan to replace the water lines in the city.

Among the ongoing complaints are also directed at the foul odor of the faucet water, which some have described as “smelling like rotten eggs.”

Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas office is looking into the water issues, and last week a unanimous vote by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors directed staff to “ask state water-regulatory agencies to intervene on Gardena’s behalf,” the Daily Breeze reported.

The article also noted that two city facilities have installed reverse-osmosis filtration systems on drinking-water stations, so citizens can have clean water.

Kate Nutting, Golden State Water Co. general manager, said her company is stepping up the flushing of pipes, and that the sediment seen in the water is the natural sluffing off of old cast-iron and steel water pipes.

She said GSWC’s plan to replace old water pipes would take as much as 20 years to complete the project. Gardena City Councilman Dan Medina said that was unacceptable and urged the water company to rethink the plan so the projected would be finished in about five years.